Machines for cutting blanks for containers and the like



L. BONNARD Jan, 9, 1968 MACHINES FOR CUTTING BLANKS FOR CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1965 Ill/I i a :ll IIFI 4 4 L. BONNARD 3,362,303

MACHINES FOR CUTTING BL/XNKS FOR CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Jan. 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 11, 1965 L. BONNARD 3,362,303

MACHINES FOR CUTTING BLANKS FOR CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Jan. 9, 1968 Filed 0st] 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MN NW ON 3 Q m m a E Q mw NW N am 8 United States Patent assignor to France, a French This invention relates to machines for cutting blanks adapted to the realization of boxes, cartons and like containers.

The invention more particularly relates to such containers of generally rectangular shapes in which the end flaps which constitute the bottom and the upper side are so arranged that they can be folded with their end or free edges substantially in contact with each other. In such a case the two pairs of flaps which correspond to the transverse vertical walls of the container (which flaps will be thereafter designated as transverse flaps) should have a greater length than the two pairs of flaps, or longitudinal flaps, which correspond to the longitudinal vertical walls. Since in a conventional blank the flaps have the same length, it is therefore necessary to cut the longitudinal flaps of the blank in order to reduce their length, the transverse flaps escaping the action of the rotating cutters or like cutting tools.

In the known methods the blanks are first scored and slitted in order to determine the four pairs of lateral flaps and they are then conveyed continuously through a cutting machine wherein the selection between the longitudinal flaps which are to be cut and the transverse flaps which are not to be cut, is obtained by swingable Wedge-shaped members disposed on each side of the machine table and adapted to operate as a selective switch. When the front edge of a blank reaches the wedge-shaped members, the lateral flaps of the first pair slide along one of the sides of the said members and they thus cause the latter, to swing or rock in such manner that the flaps of the next pair slide along the other side of the members, and so on. The cutting tools are therefore disposed on the path of the longitudinal flaps on each side of the machine and they have no action on the transverse flaps which follow another path.

It has been proposed to cut the longitudinal flaps to the proper length after the end edges of the blank are assembled, as for instance by an adhesive or by means of clips. In such a case the blanks are still continuously conveyed through the cutting machine, but under flat folded form, i.e., with one half of the blank folded on the other half thereof. In such a flat folded or doubled blank the arrangement of the superposed longitudinal and transverse flaps is inverted on each side with respect to the other and the selection of the flaps to be cut with respect to those which are not to be out should be effected accordingly.

In the known machines for this type of blank the selection is generally effected by movable pneumatic suction devices adapted to act selectively on the lateral flaps of the two halves of the blank in order to submit or not to submit the said flaps to the action of the cutting tools. These machines are complicated, cumbersome and expensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of simple construction which will effectively realize the separation of the superposed flaps of the blanks which have been folded on themselves in the aboveexplained manner, in order to permit the selective cutting of the longitudinal flaps.

In accordance with the present invention there is pro- "ice vided on each side of the machine table two superposed blades adapted to penetrate the lateral edge of the flaps of each half of the blanks during passage of the latter on the feed table, the said blades being obliquely directed respectively upwardly and downwardly, so as to cause the said flaps to follow two different paths.

It will be easily understood that it is then suflicient to provide on each path a swingable wedge device of the above-described type to effect the desired selection between the lateral and the transverse flaps for each half of the blank. The whole may be realized in a simple and inexpensive manner. The operation is quite automatic and requires no kind of external control.

It is of course necessary that the blades be accurately adjusted with respect to the thickness of the paperboard or like sheet-material of the blanks. But according to another aspect of the present invention this adjustment may be effected automatically by a feeler disposed before the blades with respect to the direction of displacement of the blanks.

In a preferred embodiment the blades are mounted on a support one end of which is pivotally carried by the fixed frame of the machine in such manner that the blades may move with respect to the machine table along an arc of a circle which, for the small displacements corresponding to varying thicknesses of the blanks, may approximate a straight line perpendicular to the feed table surface, and this support is so connected with a spring loaded feeler roller, also movable substantially perpendicularly to the table surface, that the displacement of the fore ends of the blades is substantially equal to one-half the displacement of the feeler roller.

The blades may further be carried by a secondary support pivoted to the above-mentioned or main support about a vertical axis and urged by spring means or the like towards the axis or centre-line of the table. This arrangement may compensate smaller vacations in the dimensions of the blanks.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paperboard container.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the corresponding blank.

FIG. 3 illustrates the blank of FIG. 2 after it has been folded on itself.

FIG. 4 shows the blank have been cut.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sections taken along lines V-V and VI-VI respectively (FIG. 3).

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatical side view of one of the lateral devices which effect selection of the flaps.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatical transverse section of the corresponding cutting machine.

FIG. 9 is a large scale transverse section illustrating the action of the lateral blades on the edges of the blank.

FIGS. 10 to 12 are illustrative of the operation of the machine.

FIG. 13 is an elevation of a modification wherein the mechanism is automatically adjusted to the thickness of the blank.

FIG. 14 is a horizontal section taken through line XIVXIV (FIG. 13).

The container illustrated when the longitudinal flaps in FIG. 1 is of generally elongated rectangular shape. It comprises two vertical longitudinal sides or panels 1 and two vertical transverse sides or panels 2. Each one of these panels has two end flaps, respectively 3 and 4, which are adapted to be folded at in such a manner that their edges meet in the plane of the corresponding end of the container so as to form respectively the bottom and the upper side of the container.

This container is established by means of a paperboard blank shown in FIG. 2. The horizontal length of this blank is equal to the sum of the widths of the lateral sides 1 and 2 (plus the width of the lateral sealing tab), while its height is equal to the height of the said sides plus the length of the longer end flaps, namely of the transverse flaps 4. The blank of FIG. 2 is submitted to a first operation adapted to realize the slits and score lines required to define the pairs of sides or panels 1 and 2, together with the eight flaps 3, 4 and with a sealing tab 2a provided along one of the transverse edges of the blank. This blank is then folded on itself about its transverse centre line (FIG. 3) and the tab 2a is secured to the other transverse edge of the blank by means of clips or of an appropriate adhesive. The foldedor doubled 4 blank now appears as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 which clearly show that the succession of the sides or panels 1, 2 (FIG. 5) and of the end flaps 3, 4 is inverted in each half of the blank with respect to the other. In this figure, the panels and flaps of the lower half have been referenced 1', 2, 3 and 4' in order to differentiate them more clearly from the corresponding portions 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the upper half.

As above explained it is necessary to cut a portion of the four longitudinal fiaps 3, 3 in order to obtain the blank illustrated in FIG; 4. The cutting machine should of course separate the flaps 3, 3 from the flaps 4, 4 and thereafter cut the former to the proper length.

In accordance with the invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9, to the inner side of each of the frame members 5 between which the feed table 6 is mounted are secured two separating blades 7 disposed above each other and obliquely directed with respect to the table. In each pair of blades the upper one is directed upwardly and the lower one downwardly with respect to the displacement of the blanks on the feed table (arrow 8 in FIG. 7), the front end of the blades being disposed at a small vertical distance from each other and symmetrically with respect to the plane of the table which, as clearly shown in FIG. 8, is of reduced width immediately after the tips of the blades. A stationary wedge-shaped member 9 is disposed behind each pair of blades 7 with its tip slightly engaged between the vertically spaced rear ends of the blades. Still behind the stationary wedge-shaped member 9 each frame member 5 supports two superposed swingable wedge-shaped members 10 and 10 each being pivotally mounted on a fixed transverse pin, respectively 11, 11. The frame members 5 further carry two lateral blocks 12a which support two narrow lateral tables 12 which extend substantially in the plane of the feed table 6 but only on a small distance starting from the lateral frame members, between the rear portions of the swingable wedge-shaped members 10, 10 of each pair.

The machine further comprises on each side two rotating circular cutters 13 and 13 adapted to cut the longitudinal flaps 3, 3, as more fully described below.

The feed table ,6 is provided in the known manner with conventional driving means, such as endless belts or the like, not illustrated, adapted to advance the blanks to be processed.

When a doubled blank A (see FIG. 7) reaches the blades7, the latter penetrate the end edges of the lateral flaps of the two superposed halves of the blank (see FIG. 9). The flaps are thus respectively raised and lowered between the adjacent lateral edge of the feed table 6 and the corresponding lateral frame member 5. They reach the stationary wedge-shaped member 9, the upper transverse flap 4 being thus directed towards the upper side of the said member, while the lower longitudinal fiap 3 is directed towards the lower side thereof (see FIG. 10). The flaps of the upper and lower halves of the blank are thus separated from each other.

When the upper transverse flap 4 reaches the upper swingable wedge-shaped member 10 (FIG. 11) it slides against the upper side thereof, while the lower longitudinal flap 4 reaches the upper swingable wedge-shaped member 10 (FIG. 11) it slides against the upper side thereof, while the lower longitudinal flap 3 (which has been cross-hatched in FIGS. 11 and 12) slides against the lower side of the lower swingable wedge-shaped member 10. Under the effect of the slight pressure thus exerted by the flaps, the wedge-shaped members 10, 10 swing, respectively counterclockwise and clockwise in FIGS. 11 and 12, so that when the upper longitudinal flap 3 (also cross-hatched in FIGS. 11 and 12) and the lower transverse flap 4 reach the said wedge-shaped members they slide respectively against the lower side of the member 111 and against the upper side of the member 10, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. Owing to the pressure exerted by these flaps, the wedge-shaped members 10, 10 again swing respectively clockwise and, counterclockwise, whereby they are returned to their former position of FIG. 7.

The longitudinal flaps of each half of the successive blanks are thus selected with respect to the corresponding transverse flaps, so as to follow a different path in the: machine. It is therefore possible so to dispose the circular cutters 13, 13' that they only act on the longitudinal flaps: 3, 3. In the example illustrated the upper cutter 13 is. disposed immedately above the corresponding lateral table: 12, while the lower cutter 13 is mounted well below so as to cooperate with a fixed plate or auxiliary table 40 (FIG. 12) on which the successive flaps 3 slide when. leaving the underside of the lower wedge-shaped member 10.

The machine described operates quite satisfactorily if the successive blanks are of uniform thickness and of uniform height. FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a self-adjustable embodiment which may take into account minor variations in the dimensions of the blank.

In this embodiment each lateral frame member comprises a substantially rectangular elongated opening 5a and in front of this opening the said member hingedly carries a movable supporting plate 14. As illustrated this plate has a sleeve 15 which is rotatably mounted on a gudgeon 16, the latter protruding on the outer side of the frame member 5 at the rear of the rectangular opening 5a with respect to the direction of displacement of the blanks (indicated by the arrow 8), substantially on the horizontal major axis of the said opening. The supporting plate 14 may thus slide about the pivot or gudgeon 16 between the outer side of the frame member 5 and a vertical retaining strap 17 which is secured to the frame member by boltssuchas 18. The wedge-shaped member 7 is directly secured to the inner side of the supporting plate 14 by means of screws such as 19 and it is thick enough to protrude inwardly through the opening 5a (see FIG. 14). As to the separating blades 7, they are mounted on a flat support 20, or secondary supporting plate, which is hinged to the supporting plate 14 by means of a vertical pin 21 disposed behind an undercut portion 9aof the wedge-shaped member 7, as clearly shown in FIG. 14. A compression spring 22 engaged into a blind hole 14a of the supporting plate, urges the flat support 22 inwardly, i.e. towards the centre-line of the machine, this movement being limited by the wall of the undercut portion 9a which plays the role of an abutment.

The front end of the supporting plate 14 is supported by two links 23 and 24 which are pivoted on a common pin 25, the latter having a tail portion which is slidably retained in a longitudinal groove 14b of the supporting plate 14. The lower end of the lower link 23 is pivotally retained by a transverse pin 26 secured to the outer side of the frame member 5, while the upper end of the upper link 24 is rotatably mounted on a transverse pin 27 which supports a feeler roller 28. As shown in FIG. 14 this pin 27 is secured to a carriage 29 which is guided vertically by guided members 30 secured to the outer side of the frame member 5, the latter having a vertically elongated opening for passage of the said pin. A traction spring 32 is attached to the carriage 29 and to the lower transverse pin 26 to urge the carriage downwardly. It will be noted that the links 23 and 24 are of equal length and that the movable pin 27 is situated directly above the fixed pin 26. The geometrical figure 25, 26, 27 is therefore an isosceles triangle having a vertical base of varying length and the amplitude of the vertical displacements of its apex 25 are equal to one half the vertical displacements of the moveable end 27 of its base 26-27. Further, since the apex 25 is approximately disposed below the fore ends of the blades 7, the vertical displacements of these fore ends are also one half those of the movable pin 27, Le. of the feeler roller 28. Since the pivot 16 of the supporting plate 14 is substantially situated in a horizontal plane passing between the front ends of the blades, the minor displacements of these ends may be considered as vertical.

The spring 32 tends to maintain the feeler roller 28 against the table 6. When a blank is advanced on the table, it raises the feeler roller, the carriage 29 sliding vertically. This displacement, which is equal to the thickness of the blank, is transmitted to the articulated link gearing 24-23 and the pin 25 is also raised together with the flat support 20, its displacememnt being equal to half the thickness of the blank It is thus possible to obtain that the centre line of the pair of blades 7 be always substantially coincident with the horizontal plane situated mid way of the thickness of the blank. The blades therefore always catch the free edges of the flaps in spite of smaller variations in the thickness of the successive blanks. Further 'when the blanks reach the oblique fore end of the flat support 20 they slightly push the latter outwardly against the action of the spring 22 and therefore the blades 7 may be correctly disposed in the transverse direction with respect to the blank flaps even if the height of the successive blanks is not quite constant, as this may sometimes occur in actual practice.

I claim:

1. A machine for cutting the end flaps corresponding to the lateral sides of a container, in a blank of sheet material which has been folded on itself along a line of fold under flat doubled form so as to form two superposed halves with the end flaps of the said halves in staggered relation, each end flap having a free edge perpendicular to the fold line along which the blank as been folded, said machine comprising a feed table on which the blanks to be processed are advanced with their superposed end flaps directed transversely of the table; two lateral pairs of separating blades each disposed on one side of said table to cooperate with the advancing free edges of the superposed end flaps of the blanks, each pair comprising a lower blade directed downwardly at a small angle to the plane of said table to engage the free edge of the end flaps of the lower half of each blank on one side of said table and to displacce downwardly said end flaps of said lower half, and an upper blade directed upwardly at a small angle to the plane of said table to engage the free edge of the end flaps of the upper half of each blank and to displace upwardly said end flaps of said upper half; a first wedge-shaped member swingably disposed on each side of said table, said first wedge-shaped member having a tip substantially directed towards the lower blade of the pair of separating blades situated on the same side of said table, to receive therefrom the end flaps displaced downwardly and to direct same alternately towards a first lower path and towards a first upper path, while being each time rocked through a small angle alternately in one and the other direction under the action of the end flaps thus directed; first cutting means associated to each of said first wedge-shaped members to cut the end flaps directed by same along one of said first upper and lower paths; a second wedge-shaped member swingably disposed on each side of said table above said first wedge-shaped member, said second wedge-shaped member having a tip substantially directed towards the upper blade of the pair of separating blades situated on the same side of said table, to receive therefrom the end flaps displaced upwardly and to direct same alternately towards a second lower path and towards a second upper path, while being each time rocked through a small angle by the end flaps thus directed; and second cutting means associated to each of said second wedge-shaped members to cut the end flaps directed by same along one of said second upper and lower paths.

2. In a cutting machine as claimed in claim 1 two nonswingable wedge-shaped members, each having a lower side and an upper side, and each being disposed on one side of said table between the pair of separating blades and the first and second swingable wedge-shaped members situated on said one side, with its tip pointing substantially towards said last-named pair of separating blades, to respectively receive therefrom the end flaps lowered by the lower blade thereof and the end flaps raised by the upper blade thereof on said one side of said table and to respectively further lower and raise said end flaps in front of said the first and second swingable wedge-shaped members on said one side of said table.

3. In a cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, means to adjust the height of said pairs of blades above said table in proportion to the thickness of the blanks.

4. In a cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, means to adjust the distance between said pairs of separating blades transversely of said table in proportion to the distance between the free edges of the end flaps transversely of said blanks which are perpendicular to the line of fold thereof.

5. In a cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, said pair of separating blades on each side of said table being fixed to a support vertically movable with respect to said table, and said machine comprising on each side of said table a feeler roller urged against said table to be raised by said blanks before same reach said blades; and means actuated by said feeler roller to raise said support on the same side of said table, the vertical displacement of same being substantially one half the displacement of said feeler roller.

6. In a cutting machine as claimed in claim 1, said pair of separating blades on each side Otf said feed table being carried by a secondary support, and said secondary support being hinged about an axis perpendicular to said table to a main support vertically movable with respect to said table, and said machine comprising on each side of said table resilient means to urge each of said secondary support towards the centre line of said table; a feeler roller urged against said table to be raised by said blanks before same reach said blades; and means actuated by said feeler roller to raise said main support on the same side of said table, the vertical displacement of said main support being substantially one half the displacement of said feeler roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR CUTTING THE END FLAPS CORRESPONDING TO THE LATERAL SIDES OF A CONTAINER, IN A BLANK OF SHEET MATERIAL WHICH HAS BEEN FOLDED ON ITSELF ALONG A LINE OF FOLD UNDER FLAT DOUBLED FORM SO AS TO FORM TWO SUPERPOSED HALVES WITH THE END FLAPS OF THE SAID HALVES IN STAGGERED RELATION, EACH END FLAP HAVING A FREE EDGE PERPENDICULAR TO THE FOLD LINE ALONG WHICH THE BLANK AS BEEN FOLDED, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A FEED TABLE ON WHICH THE BLANKS TO BE PROCESSED ARE ADVANCED WITH THEIR SUPERPOSED END FLAPS DIRECTED TRANSVERSELY OF THE TABLE; TWO LATERAL PAIRS OF SEPARATING BLADES EACH DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID TABLE TO COOPERATE WITH THE ADVANCING FREE EDGES OF THE SUPERPOSED END FLAPS OF THE BLANKS, EACH PAIR COMPRISING A LOWER BLADE DIRECTED DOWNWARDLY AT A SMALL ANGLE TO THE PLANE OF SAID TABLE TO ENGAGE THE FREE EDGE OF THE END FLAPS OF THE LOWER HALF OF EACH BLANK ON ONE SIDE OF SAID TABLE AND TO DISPLACE DOWNWARDLY SAID END FLAPS SAID LOWER HALF, AND AN UPPER BLADE DIRECTED UPWARDLY AT A SMALL ANGLE TO THE PLANE OF SAID TABLE TO ENGAGE THE FREE EDGE OF THE END FLAPS OF THE UPPER HALF OF EACH BLANK AND TO DISPLACE UPWARDLY SAID END FLAPS OF SAID UPPER HALF; A FIRST WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBER SWINGABLY DISPOSED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID TABLE, SAID FIRST WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A TIP SUBTANTIALLY DIRECTED TOWARDS THE LOWER BLADE OF THE PAIR OF SEPARATING BLADES SITUATED ON THE SAME SIDE OF SAID TABLE, TO RECEIVE THEREFROM THE END FLAPS DISPLACED DOWNWARDLY AND TO DIRECT SAME ALTERNATELY TOWARDS A FIRST LOWER PATH AND TOWARDS A FIRST UPPER PATH, WHILE BEING EACH TIME ROCKED THROUGH A SMALL ANGLE ALTERNATELY IN ONE AND THE OTHER DIRECTION UNDER THE ACTION OF THE END FLAPS THUS DIRECTED; FIRST CUTTING MEANS ASSOCIATED TO EACH OF SAID FIRST WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBERS TO CUT THE END FLAPS DIRECTED BY SAME ALONG ONE OF SAID FIRST UPPER AND LOWER PATHS; A SECOND WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBER SWINGABLY DISPOSED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID TABLE ABOVE SAID FIRST WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBER, SAID SECOND WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A TIP SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTED TOWARDS THE UPPER BLADE OF THE PAIR OF SEPARATING BLADES SITUATED ON THE SAME SIDE OF SAID TABLE, TO RECEIVE THEREFROM THE END FLAPS DISPLACED UPWARDLY AND TO DIRECT SAME ALTERNATELY TOWARDS A SECOND LOWER PATH AND TOWARDS A SECOND UPPER PATH, WHILE BEING EACH TIME ROCKED THROUGH A SMALL ANGLE BY THE END FLAPS THUS DIRECTED; AND SECOND CUTTING MEANS ASSOCIATED TO EACH OF SAID SECOND WEDGE-SHAPED MEMBERS TO CUT THE END FLAPS DIRECTED BY SAME ALONG ONE OF SAID SECOND UPPER AND LOWER PATHS. 